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The Runaway Duck
"The Runaway Duck" is Episode 5 in Season 5. It originally aired on June 2, 1987. Synopsis The episode begins with LeVar on the Chesapeake Bay where he can see many kinds of ducks and geese through his binoculars. They are special birds called waterfowl who can fly and swim. They migrate from the north and spend the winter on the bay and further south where it's warmer. While going along the bay in a small boat, LeVar shows the viewers some of the sites there. Ducks and geese love to eat grass and go for a nice swim. LeVar meets Vidal Martinez, a friend of his who works at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, where waterfowl come to live during the winter. He has always wanted to get an up-close look at a duck. Vidal shows him a duck trap. The duck swims through the opening and gets confused at finding its way out. It doesn't harm them, though. The hunters attract them by putting corn, which they love to eat, in as bait. After that, they wait in a duck blind for them to arrive. A duck blind is used to hide humans and to blend in with the bushes around it. It's like playing hide and seek with the ducks. While he and Vidal wait for some to come their way, LeVar shows the viewers the title book. LeVar and Vidal have caught a mallard. It might have come from a hundred or a thousand miles away. The difference between a duck and a goose is that the latter has a longer neck than the former. They also make distinctive sounds. Ducks are also known for their webbed feet, which they use to swim quickly through the water. Their wings are useful for them to help fly out of the water. Their feathers are shiny because of natural oils they produce to keep them warm, and they're waterproof. Vidal is about to release the mallard he and LeVar caught. LeVar wishes he could speak a duck's language. He asks the viewers how they would call one to come to them. Some kids show their own ways of doing so. If none of those work, the pros have their way. They use a musical instrument known as a duck call, which is made of wood. Several people perform this. On the Chesapeake Bay, people spend their time calling, studying, or watching ducks. Others have their own artistic way of enjoying them, like Ed and Ester Berns. They carve ducks out of a single block of wood. They have lived on the bay for over 20 years, so their love of ducks has grown. They show the viewers how they do their artwork. LeVar is sure that all the ducks and geese on the bay will have a great winter vacation. They'll fly back up north in spring where they have come from. If you've ever been away from home, you know just how great it feels when you come back. LeVar says goodbye to the viewers and rolls away in his boat. Review Books *Dabble Duck *Jamaica's Find *The Story About Ping Category:Season 5 Category:Episodes